1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering wheel to be used when a vehicle is steered, and a process for manufacturing the steering wheel.
2. Description of Related Art
In a steering wheel of the prior art, a smooth decorative layer is formed on the surface of a ring portion to be gripped at steering time (as disclosed in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 8-310407).
Moreover, this steering wheel having the decorative layer is molded by the following process. First, a steering wheel core is set in a mold. Also, a skin for the decorative layer is set while leaving a clearance around the steering wheel core. A coating layer is then poured into the clearance between the core and the skin to mold the steering wheel.
In short, the portion including the skin for the decorative layer is integrally prepared.
The ring portion is a three-dimensional portion having a curved face. In order to match the curved face of the outer circumference of the ring portion, the decorative layer has had to be prepared accordingly. This has caused considerable inconvenience for steering wheel manufacturers.
Here, in order to eliminate this inconvenience in the manufacture of the steering wheel, it is conceivable to attach the decorative layer by means of an adhesive to the surface of the molding coating layer. It is, however, necessary to so adhere the decorative layer such that no level difference occurs on the outer circumference of the coating layer that has a section in the axial direction of the steering wheel. This necessity stems from the need to prevent a degradation in the touch and feeling of the decorative layer.
When the decorative layer can be adhered without causing a level difference, however, the working of the terminals of the decorative layer is troublesome.